where do I start (clipping)

[VickyG]

Greetings,

i've got Henry (2.5 years) and Holly (18 months) and they are both black show cockers, both neuetered and I keep both of them clipped fairly short all over as we don't show them and we do some serious walking with them.  So for practical reasons it's easier to keep them super short as being cockers they are both mud/water magnets and both love getting off lead and incredibly dirty.

I've been taking them to the groomers since they were both ickle but Henry's coat is so thick and wooly it needs doing every couple of weeks, as he is already sprouting a nice beard, whiskers, and looks like he has been pulled through a hedge backwards.  Holly's coat is thinner and straighter but still looks messy after a few weeks.  I like to keep their ears quite long but we have them thinned out and i keep the tail with it's fluff (fur/feathering- not sure of the technical term  ).  I like their heads to be nice and short as they both have lovely shaped heads  and i like their faces/necks to look really short and neat.

Our groomer is quite hard to get hold off and so it can take us weeks to get them booked in so I've been out and bought some Wahl clippers from pets@home.  I've already got a slicker, thinning scissors, round end facial scissors, bristle brush, metal comb, stripping knives, de-matting rake so i'm ready but I'm now " all the gear but no idea!"

Where do i start?

What should I do first? 

I've been watching videos and stuff but just really want a very basic guide to help me out ie (1) start at head and do x,y,z (2) move onto face and do x,y,z etc.

This is the terrible two before they were last clipped so they are shorter now but very sprouty and messy looking but it gives you an idea, Henry is on the left and Holly on the right.



Any help gratefully recieved oh and if you can help me i'll be able to put up more photo's as a work in progress so you can see how (or not) i'm doing 

[Holly Berry]

Hi, I found the hardest part was the first time I put the clippers on the coat, confidence is the key part so my advice is just go for it. You will make mistakes and my OH refused to take Holly out when I first started unless it was dark. If I'd had Equfleeces then she would have had to wear it in blistering heat  I'm no expert but I'm happy with my results and to be honest the dogs don't care 

Have you had a look at this thread http://www.cockersonline.co.uk/discuss/index.php?topic=32160.0. You may find that the Whal clippers aren't really up to the job of doing a really woolly coat and the plastic blade attachments aren't man enough, but they are good as a trial.

Also check your local colleges to see if they run courses for people who want to clip their pets. Last year I attended a one day breed specific course at my local agricultural college where you take you own dog.

There are quite a few groomers on here, so you should get plenty of advice and there are good informative threads on the grooming section.

Good Luck and enjoy 

[dizzytrish]

Hi

don't mean to hijack your thread, but HollyBerry, was it Hadlow college you went to for the grooming day?, if so, was it any good?

thanks

[LynneB]

Always remember, there is only a week between a bad haircut and a good one.....

[Holly Berry]

Hi

don't mean to hijack your thread, but HollyBerry, was it Hadlow college you went to for the grooming day?, if so, was it any good?

thanks

Yes it was. Excellent course, Ebony was only 9 months old and so had all her puppy fluff. I wanted to handstrip and the tutor showed me how to do it. Clipping was an option but she also showed me how to use thinning scissors and coatking. Well worth the course fee